CALGARY, AB --(Marketwired - October 24, 2017) - Black Diamond Group
("Black Diamond" or the "Company") (TSX: BDI) today announced the commercial launch of LodgeLink™,
an online accommodation marketplace for remote workforce lodging.
Similar to online hotel booking marketplaces, LodgeLink aggregates available remote accommodations rooms in a
transparent online directory and allows customers to easily find the closest lodge to a remote work site. Customers can then use
LodgeLink to select and book their preferred accommodations after assessing availability, proximity, and price.
Through a partnership with Vision Travel, a leading travel management company located in Canada with a global
presence, LodgeLink also provides end-to-end travel booking capabilities from the customer's place of origin to their remote
destination and back.
"LodgeLink allows workforce camp and lodge owners to fill rooms that may otherwise sit empty," said Trevor
Haynes, President and CEO, Black Diamond. "LodgeLink also helps companies in the energy, resources, and infrastructure industries
find and book remote accommodation for their employees in minutes instead of hours. It is much more efficient than the word of
mouth, telephone or email inquiry that we are replacing."
LodgeLink currently has listed capacity representing over 12,000 rooms across 25 remote accommodation properties
in Alberta and British Columbia. Black Diamond expects that LodgeLink will scale up to offer many more camps and lodges across
North America, and will ultimately become a global operation. Vision Travel's recent global expansion will help enable this
growth.
While the initial network of workforce lodges was developed primarily for the oil and gas industry, Black Diamond
believes LodgeLink can also serve industries such as infrastructure, mining, and forestry. Moreover, LodgeLink can assist with
emergency response, where remote accommodations are required for evacuees and relief workers.
Accommodations supplied by Black Diamond and others
To develop its supply of accommodations, LodgeLink has so far negotiated listings from 12 third-party lodge
owners including those owned or controlled by the resource producers, and ultimately contributed availability at two of Black
Diamond's own lodges. Many of the lodges have spare capacity due to the slowdown in project development after the 2014 oil price
decline, but even during times of high activity, lodges tend to have periods of reduced loading which can be more efficiently
used.
Some of the lodges were developed specifically for major oil companies and were originally used exclusively by
the oil companies for their own projects. In the current environment, the listing of unused lodge rooms with LodgeLink allows the
oil companies a chance to recoup some of their operating costs.
Customers: a broad array of service providers
LodgeLink customers are a broad array of service providers, including contractors who drill and complete oil
wells, infrastructure developers, and professionals who service and maintain facilities in the field. LodgeLink also welcomes
crews or individuals servicing power lines, wind farms, pipelines, mines, roads, and other remote facilities, as well as loggers,
firefighters, prospectors and stakeholder relations personnel who engage with remote communities.
Business travelers or their agents can easily use LodgeLink's website for remote lodge bookings. For customers
seeking information about travel services to and from a remote site, LodgeLink offers a full service solution in partnership with
Vision Travel, a major corporate travel agency.
"The introduction of LodgeLink ensures a seamless end-to-end solution for our clients, particularly in Western
Canada," said Ian Race, Senior Vice President of sales and account management at Vision Travel. "We have made it a priority to
partner with LodgeLink and ensure this solution is available for our clients as soon as possible as there is a distinct need for
a proper remote lodging management tool in the travel management space."
Note to Editors: There is a photo associated with this news release. A high-resolution version (300dpi) can
be downloaded from Black Diamond's website at this link https://www.blackdiamondgroup.com/investor-centre/lodgelink-announcement
Sunset Prairie Lodge, Dawson Creek, BC, one of 25 remote lodges listed with LodgeLink. Hotel-style private rooms
and restaurant and recreation facilities are standard offerings at Sunset Prairie Lodge and other workforce lodges in the
LodgeLink network. Booking is easy at www.lodgelink.com.
About LodgeLink
LodgeLink takes the hassle out of finding a place for corporate travelers to stay in out-of-the-way locations. By
aggregating available remote accommodations in one place, and providing the convenience of online booking, we save corporate
travelers time, resources, and costs. For suppliers, LodgeLink provides online listings and travel management to leverage
accommodation assets. Begin booking rooms today at www.lodgelink.com.
LodgeLink is a wholly owned subsidiary of Black Diamond Group Limited.
About Black Diamond Group
Black Diamond Group provides modular space, workforce accommodation, energy services, and full turnkey lodging
and major project solutions including planning, management, and logistics to customers in Canada, the United States and
Australia. We serve diverse sectors including oil and gas, mining, power, construction, engineering, military, government,
education and financial services.
Black Diamond has four core business units: BOXX Modular, Black Diamond Camps & Lodging, Black Diamond Energy
Services, and Black Diamond International. Learn more at: www.blackdiamondgroup.com.
To sign up for news alerts please go to http://bit.ly/BDI-News or visit www.blackdiamondgroup.com.
About Vision Travel
Vision Travel, a Direct Travel company, is an established leader in travel management in Canada with over 725
travel professionals located from coast to coast. The company has been offering a full range of corporate meetings & incentives,
leisure and loyalty travel services since 1953. As part of a wholly-owned group of global travel leaders, Vision Travel
represents over US$5 billion in travel sales, helping companies achieve measurable ROI through strategic travel worldwide.
In 2016, Vision Travel ranked 24th (13th combined with Direct Travel) in North America on the Travel
Weekly Power List and is a leading member of Virtuoso, the world's most prestigious leisure travel network.
Vision Travel is committed to a more personalized and responsive approach to the business of travel. This is
achieved through customer service, exceptional value and trust. Our success is a testament to our valued team members. For more
information about Vision Travel, please visit www.visiontravel.ca.
Member: GBTA • ACTE • Air Canada Circle of Excellence • Oceania Connoisseur Club • Orient
Express Bellini Club • Princess iexcel • RADIUS • Rosewood Elite • Ritz Carlton Stars • Virtuoso and Virtuoso Adventure &
Specialty Travel • Virgin Galactic Accredited Space Agent • Collette President's Council • Disney Earmarked
Advisory Boards: Abercrombie & Kent • Best Western • Carlson Rezidor • Crystal Cruise Line •
Cunard Inner Circle • Fairmont Hotels • Preferred Hotels • Regent Seven Seas Cruise Council • Tauck • GBTA Canada Advisory Board
• Radius Board of Directors • BVI Travel Agent Advisory Board
Reader Advisory
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain information in this news release contains forward-looking statements including Management's assessment of
Black Diamond's future operations. With respect to the forward-looking statements contained in this news release, Black Diamond
has made assumptions, regarding among other things: that Black Diamond will continue to conduct its operations in a manner
consistent with past operations. Although Black Diamond believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking
statements contained in this news release, and the assumptions on which such forward-looking statements are made, are reasonable,
there can be no assurance that such expectations or assumptions will prove to be correct. These forward-looking statements are
subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond Black Diamond's control including, without limitation,
the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, fluctuation of commodity prices, fluctuation of exchange rates,
environmental risks, industry competition, availability of qualified personnel and Management, stock market volatility and timely
and cost effective access to sufficient capital from internal and external sources. As a consequence, actual results may differ
materially from those anticipated in the forward- looking statements. Readers are cautioned that the forgoing list of factors is
not exhaustive. Additional information on these and other factors that could affect Black Diamond's operations and financial
results are included in Black Diamond's annual information form and other reports on file with Canadian securities regulatory
authorities and may be accessed through the SEDAR website (www.sedar.com) and at Black Diamond's website (www.blackdiamondgroup.com). Furthermore, the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as
at the date of this news release and Black Diamond does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by
applicable securities laws.
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